Join us for Convocation with Priscilla Shirer!

THANK YOU FOR YOUR GOODNESS AND

YOUR LOVE FOR US ON THE GIFT

OF YOUR SON JESUS WHO DIED AND

ROSE AGAIN. SO, WE STAND HERE

TODAY AND SIMPLY SAY, GOD, YOU

ARE SO GREAT. GREAT IS THE

THANKFULNESS AS GOD. WHEN WE

ARE BROKEN AND HURTING AND

DON’T KNOW WHERE TO TURN, GOD

WE THANK YOU THAT YOU ARE

ALWAYS THERE. ALWAYS PRESENT

AND ALWAYS ACTIVE IN OUR LIVES.

LIVES. WE ARE SO GRATEFUL FOR

THAT TRUTH. GOD BLESS OUR TIME

TOGETHER AND HELP US TO BE

ENCOURAGED TO YOUR WORD AND

GROW IN OUR FAITH AND TO BECOME

BECOME MORE LIKE YOU. AND THE

DESPERATE TIME WHEN WE NEED IT

SO BADLY. GOD, FOR THAT WE GIVE

GIVE YOU ALL THE PRAISE AND ALL

ALL THE GLORY IN JESUS NAME WE

PRAY. AMEN. GO AHEAD AND HAVE A

A SEAT. DID YOU ENJOY HEARING

FROM ANTHONY EVANS HERE THIS

MORNING? SO, IN CASE YOU DIDN’T

DIDN’T KNOW, ANTHONY HAS QUITE

A CAREER. HE HAS PUT OUT SIX

ALBUMS AND HE WAS ACTUALLY AT

THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL. YOU DID

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, RIGHT? HE

HE WAS THE BEAST. HE DID THAT A

A FEW YEARS AGO AND WAS ALSO ON

ON A TV SHOW CALLED THE VOICE,

IN CASE YOU SAW THAT. BUT MORE

IMPORTANT THAN ALL OF THAT, HE

IS ALSO A GRADUATE OF LIBERTY U.

LIBERTY UNIVERSITY. ANTHONY,

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. IT’S

HOMECOMING AND GREAT TO HAVE

YOU BACK HOME WITH US TODAY.

IT’S EXCITING. A GREAT WEEKEND.

WEEKEND. HOMECOMING WEEKEND. WE

WE HAVE A FOOTBALL GAME

TOMORROW, WHICH, BY THE WAY WE

ARE GOING TO WIN. BEFORE WE

KEEP ROLLING HERE THIS MORNING,

MORNING, A COUPLE THINGS. YOU

SAW THE TRAILER SITTING OUTSIDE

OF THE VINE CENTER. IT WILL BE

BE THERE THROUGH 6:00 TONIGHT.

WE TOLD YOU THE OTHER DAY WE

NEED BABY WIPES AND DIAPERS ON

THOSE KINDS OF THINGS, BOTTLED

WATER, AND YOU CAN BUY A PACK

OF BOTTLED WATER FOR SIX OR

SEVEN BUCKS. WITH INFLATION,

MAYBE EIGHT BUCKS. THAT WILL BE

BE OUT THERE THROUGH 6:00 TODAY

TODAY AND THE TRUCK WILL BE

LEAVING ON MONDAY DRIVING DOWN

TO FORT MYERS, FLORIDA, TO

MacGREGOR BAPTIST CHURCH. THEY

WILL DELIVER ALL THOSE ITEMS TO

TO THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST

WHICH WILL BE PRESENT AND

SHOWING UP AND BEING THE HANDS

AND FEET OF CHRIST AND WE HAVE

AN OPPORTUNITY TO ENCOURAGE

THEM AND BLESS THEM. MAKE SURE

YOU GO OUT TODAY. IF YOU HAVE

DONE SO, GO OUT SOMETIME TODAY

AND GET THOSE ITEMS AND DROP

THEM OFF BY 6:00 TONIGHT. ALSO,

ALSO, IF YOU ARE HERE FOR

HOMECOMING, WE HAVE A LOT OF

FORMER GRADUATES AND STUDENTS

COMING IN, YOU CAN USE THE QR

CODE ON YOUR SCREEN AND TAKE IT

A LITTLE OF THAT QR CODE AND

IT WILL GIVE YOU THE SCHEDULES

AND DIFFERENT EVENTS TAKING

PLACE TODAY AND TOMORROW AND

THROUGHOUT THE WEEKEND. JUST

MAKE SURE THAT WE LEAVE IT

THERE FOR A MOMENT. SO YOU CAN

CATCH THAT. YOU GUYS KNOW, WE

TALKED ABOUT THIS A LITTLE BIT

THIS FALL, THERE IS A GROUP OF

STUDENTS THAT SIT BEHIND THE

SCREEN EVERY SINGLE TIME. YOU

MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO SEE THEM,

BUT YOU CAN HEAR FROM THEM. WE

ARE GOING TO GO IN THE ROUND

NEXT RING. REMOVING THE STAGE

TO THE MIDDLE SO NO ONE IS

BEHIND THE SCREEN ANYMORE. BUT

TODAY, WE WILL HEAR NOT ONLY

FROM THEM BUT SEE THEM. WE HAVE

HAVE A SPECIAL GUEST WITH THEM

SO LET’S GO UP THERE. I GET

MIGHT BE OUR PRESIDENT JERRY

PREVO.

>> ALL RIGHT. I NEVER GET TO

SEE THIS GROUP APPEAR, SO I

CAME APPEAR TODAY. LET’S ALL

STAND. ALL THESE FOLKS, STAND U.

STAND UP. PUT THEM ON THE

SCREEN SO THE REST OF THE

STUDENT BODY CAN SEE THEM. ALL .

ALL RIGHT. ONE OF THESE DAYS

YOU WILL MAKE GOOD ENOUGH

GRADES SO YOU CAN SIT OUT

THERE. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.

YOU MAY BE SEATED. WE’VE GOT AN

AN IMPORTANT ELECTION COMING UP.

COMING UP. EVERY ELECTION IS

IMPORTANT. HOW MANY OF YOU ARE

REGISTERED TO VOTE? RAISE YOUR

HAND, WOULD YOU, PLEASE? GREAT.

LET ME SLIP BY YOU A LITTLE BI.

LITTLE BIT. I SAW SOME NUMBERS

THE OTHER DAY AND THE

UNIVERSITY OF LYNCHBURG’S PRANCG

‘S PRANCING HAVE MORE PEOPLE

VOTE THEN LIBERTIES PRECINCT. I

I THINK WE OUGHT TO BE DONE,

DON’T YOU? I LIKE CONTESTS. HOW

HOW MANY OF YOU LIKE CONTESTS?

HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO DO. YOU

YOU CAN REGISTER TO VOTE HERE

IN VIRGINIA AND VOTE HERE. WE

WILL HAVE A PLACE IN THE BALLROM

THE BALLROOM FOR YOU TO VOTE ON

ON ELECTION DAY BUT YOU NEED TO

TO GET REGISTERED. IF YOU HAVE

A VIRGINIA DRIVERS LICENSE, YOU

YOU CAN GO ONLINE AND REGISTER.

REGISTER. IF YOU DON’T, YOU CAN

CAN REGISTER, I THINK, IS THAT

THE BALLROOM? DO YOU KNOW WHERE

WHERE IT IS?

>> IT SHOULD BE IN THE BALLROOM.

THE BALLROOM.

>> HOW WOULD YOU KNOW THAT?

>> I’M ACTUALLY RUNNING FOR

CITY COUNCIL.

>> I CAN PROMOTE YOU. I CAN’T

PROMOTE YOU. ALL RIGHT. YOU

NEED TO GET REGISTERED TO VOTE.

WE WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO GET

THAT DONE BY THE 17th. THERE

WILL BE A TABLE UP HERE SOMEPLA,

HERE SOMEPLACE, WHERE THEY WILL

WILL SET UP SO YOU CAN REGISTER.

CAN REGISTER. THERE WILL BE

PLACES THROUGHOUT THE CAMPUS

THIS WEEK. YOU ARE A GOOD

SENTENCING, GOD GIVES US THE

PRISONERS TO LIVE IN A COUNTRY

WHERE WE CAN VOTE AND CHOOSE

THE LEADERSHIP THAT WE WANT TO

HAVE. BUT MORE THAN THAT, WE

NEED TO BE A GOOD CITIZEN, BUT

MORE THAN THAT, I LIKE TO BEAT

THE PRANCING OF THE UNIVERSITY

OF LYNCHBURG. ALL RIGHT? I’D

LIKE TO BE ABLE TO COME BACK IN

IN HERE AND TELL YOU THAT OUR

PRECINCT OF LIBERTY UNIVERSITY

HAVE MORE PEOPLE VOTE THAN THEY.

THEY DID. SO, GET REGISTERED SO

SO YOU CAN VOTE AND LET’S HAVE

A GREAT TURNOUT WE DON’T WANT

TO GET BEAT. I DON’T LIKE TO

LOSE, DO YOU? NO. SO, LET’S GET

GET REGISTERED TO VOTE. THANK

YOU FOR BEING HERE. WE HAVE A

GREAT SPEAKER TODAY. I WILL ASKD

WILL ASKED PASTOR JONATHAN TO

INTRODUCE THAT SPEAKER. LET’S

GIVE HIM A BIG HAND.

>> BEFORE I INTRODUCE OUR

SPEAKER, I WANT TO INTRODUCE

WHAT OTHER GROUP OF GUESTS WHO

ARE HERE IN THE BOX JUST ABOVE

THE SITE OVER HERE. THAT IS A

GROUP OF 75 WOMEN FROM

THOMASVILLE BAPTIST CHURCH.

THEY ARE ALL WIDOWS AND THEY

WANTED TO COME IN HERE

PRISCILLA SPEAK. LET’S WELCOME .

WELCOME THEM. SO, WE ARE

EXCITED TO HAVE PRISCILLA

SHIRER HERE TODAY. SHE IS A

“NEW YORK TIMES” BEST-SELLING .

BEST-SELLING AUTHOR. SHE IS A

BIBLE TEACHER AND PROBABLY MANY

MANY OF YOU HAVE WALKED FOR

SOME OF HER BIBLE STUDIES. SHE

IS AN INCREDIBLE WOMAN OF GOD

WHO IS BEING USED IN INCREDIBLE

INCREDIBLE WAYS, NOT ONLY HERE

IN AMERICA, BUT AROUND THE

WORLD. TAKING THE TRUTH AND

POWER OF GOD’S WORD EVERYWHERE.

EVERYWHERE. WE ARE THRILLED TO E

TO WELCOME PRISCILLA SHIRER TO

THE STAGE HERE AT LIBERTY

UNIVERSITY TODAY. OKAY, Y’ALL.

HEY, FAMILY. GOOD TO SEE YOU

AND HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO

SHARE WITH YOU. I AM JUST

GRATEFUL TO BE IN THE HOUSE

TODAY AND BE ABLE TO EXPERIENCE

CON VOTE WITH YOU. NOT ONLY

YOU, BUT ESPECIALLY ALL THE

PEOPLE BEHIND ME, BEHIND THE

SCREEN RIGHT HERE. IT’S GOOD TO

TO BE WITH ALL OF YOU AND I AM

EXCITED TO DO WHAT I LOVE TO DO

DO AND THAT IS TO SHARE GOD’S

WORD WITH YOU. I BELIEVE IN THE

THE POWER OF THE WORD OF GOD. I

I HOPE YOU DO TOO. I’M EXCITED

TO SHARE A FEW THOUGHTS WITH

YOU FROM THE SCRIPTURES AND I

HOPE IT WILL BE AN

ENCOURAGEMENT TO YOU. LET’S

PRAY TOGETHER. LORD, THANK YOU

FOR YOUR WORD AND IT IS LIVING

IN ACTIVE AND SHARPER THAN ANY

TWO-EDGED SWORD. I PRAY THAT

FOR EVERY SINGLE BROTHER OR

SISTER WITHIN THE SOUND OF MY

VOICE THAT TODAY THEY WILL HEAR

HEAR A WORD STRAIGHT FROM YOUR

HEART FOR THEM. SPEAK, LORD. WE

WE ARE LISTENING. IN JESUS’S

NAME, AMEN. ONE OF THE REASONS

I AM GLAD TO BE HERE, AND THERE

THERE ARE MANY BUT MANY, BUT

ONE IS MY BROTHER GRADUATED

FROM HERE AND NOW I HAVE TWO

SONS THAT ARE HERE AND TWO

NEPHEWS THAT ARE HERE. OUR

FAMILY IS ENTRENCHED A BIT AT

LIBERTY UNIVERSITY AND WE LOVE

IT THAT WAY. MY THREE SONS, ONE

IS ENJOYING HIS HIGH SCHOOL YE.

SCHOOL YEARS. WHEN WE WERE

RAISING THEM AND THEY WERE

REALLY SMALL, WE RAISE THEM IN

A RURAL PART OF THE DALLAS FORT

FORT WORTH AREA. WE LIVE IN AND

AND AROUND DALLAS-FORT WORTH

AND FOR ABOUT A DECADE, WE LIVE

LIVE OUTSIDE OF DALLAS, CLOSE

ENOUGH THAT WE COULD GET TO THE

THE CITY QUICKLY BUT IT WAS A

RURAL PART OF TOWN. IT FELT

LIKE IT WAS WORLDS AWAY.

SOMEBODY HAD SOME TOWELS AND

SOMEBODY HAD HORSES. AND OUR

NEIGHBOR ACROSS THE STREET HAD

A POND. OUR NEIGHBOR, ONE OF MY

MY CLOSEST FRIENDS FOR ABOUT 20

20 YEARS, MY BOYS CALL HER AUNT

AUNT RACHEL, BUT WE WILL GO TO

AUNT RACHEL’S POND. WE WENT

TAKE FISHING POLES THAT I

BOUGHT ON SALE AT THE LOCAL

SUPER WALMART AROUND THE

CORNER. I GOT A TACKLE BOX AS

WELL THAT WAS ON SALE THAT DAY.

WE HAD THINGS IN THE TACKLE

BOX THAT YOU NEED WHEN YOU ARE L

ARE PROFESSIONAL FISHERMEN AND

WOMEN. WE HAD EXTRA HOPPERS AND

AND HOOKS AND GLOVES. I DON’T

MIND GOING FISHING BUT I AIN’T

GOING TO TOUCH NO FISH. THEN WE

WE GOT WHAT EVER HOT DOG MEEKLY

MEEKLY HAD LEFT OVER FROM THE W,

THE WEEK, BECAUSE WE ARE

PROFESSIONALS AND THAT WAS THE

BAIT. WE WOULD GO FISHING. MOST

MOST OF THE TIME WE WOULD JUST

FISH ON THE LITTLE PART, A

LITTLE COLD AT THE EDGE OF THE

POND, WITH TREES HANGING OVER I.

OVER IT. IT WAS SHADED AND WE

WOULD FISH RIGHT THERE. EVERY

NOW AND THEN, WE WOULD FEEL

REALLY ADVENTUROUS. MY

NEIGHBORS HAD THIS LITTLE METAL

METAL ROWBOAT THAT THEY BOUGHT

ON CRAIGSLIST. IT WAS SEAWORTHY.

WAS SEAWORTHY. NOT A BIG DEAL,

BUT IT WOULD HOLD US UP ON THE

POND. EVERY NOW AND THEN, WHAT

I WAS FEELING ADVENTUROUS, WE

WOULD GET IN THE BOAT AND PUSH

OUT A LITTLE WAY IN ROW UNTIL

WE GOT A LITTLE DISTANT INTO

THE POND AND FISH FROM THE

MIDDLE WHERE MAYBE THERE WERE

SOME BIGGER FISH. WE DID NOT DO

DO IT OFTEN AND THE REASON WHY

WE DIDN’T DO IT OFTEN IS

BECAUSE TO GET IN THIS BOAT, WE

WE WERE GOING TO HAVE TO TURN

THIS BOAT OVER. WHEN IT WASN’T

IN USE, THEY WOULD LEAVE IT

UPSIDE DOWN, AS THEY SHOULD, SO

SO IF IT RAINS IT DID NOT FILL

UP WITH WATER OR ANY WATER THAT

THAT COLLECTED IN THE LAST TIME

TIME IT WAS OUT COULD DRAIN. IT

IT WAS LEFT UPSIDE DOWN. SO,

THE PROBLEM IS, Y’ALL, TO GET A

A MISSING WE HAD TO TURN IT

OVER. HERE’S WHAT I KNEW FOR

SURE. THE ENVIRONMENT THAT HAVE

HAVE BEEN CREATED UNDERNEATH

THIS UPSIDE DOWN BOAT, IT WAS D,

WAS DAMP, IT WAS DARK, IT WAS

THE PERFECT SITUATION FOR

CRITTERS TO HAVE MADE THEMSELVES

MADE THEMSELVES AT HOME UNDER

THIS BOAT. I KNEW ONCE WE

TURNED IT OVER, SOMETHING WAS

GOING TO HOP OUT FROM

UNDERNEATH HIS BOAT, SOMETHING

WOULD WADDLE OUT FROM

UNDERNEATH HIS VOTE BUT WORST

OF ALL, Y’ALL KNOW, SOMETHING

WAS GOING TO SLITHER OUT FROM

UNDER THIS BOAT. EVERY NOW AND

THEN WHEN I WAS FEELING

ADVENTUROUS I WOULD SAY, OKAY,

BOYS. LET’S TURN IT OVER. I

WOULD STAND WAY AT THE BACK OF

THIS BOAT. THEN WE WENT TURNED

IT OVER AND INEVITABLY

SOMETHING THAT ALWAYS COMES OUT

OUT FROM UNDERNEATH IT. IT

ALWAYS DAWNED ON ME THAT NEVER

ONCE DID I HAVE TO WRITE AN INVN

AN INVITATION AND SEND IT INTO

THE BRUSH NEARBY AND SAY TO THE

THE CRITTERS, HEY. WE WILL BE

THERE AT 1:00 P.M. IF YOU WANT

TO COME AND JOIN US YOU ARE

WELCOME TO. NEVER ONCE DID I

HAVE TO STAND ON THE SHORELINE

AND CALL OUT TO THEM AND SAY,

HEY. YOUR CRITTERS WANT TO COME

COME AND ENJOY THIS FISHING

EXPEDITION WITH THE SPECS NEVER

NEVER WANT TO HAVE TO INVITE

THEM BECAUSE THE ENVIRONMENT

CREATED BY THE UPSIDE DOWN BOAT

BOAT WAS INVITATION ENOUGH.

UPSIDE DOWN LIVING. IT IS

LIVING THAT IS OUT OF ALIGNMENT

ALIGNMENT WITH THE TRUTH OF GOD.

OF GOD. RIGHT SIDE UP LIVING,

IT POSITIONED YOU FOR THE

SUNLIGHT OF GOD’S FAVOR, GOD’S

GRACE, GOD’S BLESSING, TO BE

POURED OUT ON YOUR LIFE BUT

WHEN YOU’RE LIVING UPSIDE DOWN,

DOWN, NOT ONLY DO YOU NOT HAVE

THE OPPORTUNITY TO RECEIVE

GOD’S BLESSING AND FAVOR ON

YOUR LIFE, BUT YOU’VE ALSO

CREATED AN ENVIRONMENT IN YOUR

LIFE, I CREATED AN ENVIRONMENT

IN MY LIFE, THAT WHEN I HAVE

UPSIDE OUT ATTITUDES AND

ACTIONS AND UPSIDE DOWN

BEHAVIORS THAT ARE OUT OF

ALIGNMENT WITH THE TRUTH OF

GOD, I HAVE CREATED AN

ENVIRONMENT WHERE THE ENEMY OF

OUR SOULS CAN COME AND MAKE

HIMSELF AT HOME. CAUSING

JEALOUSY OR LACK OF PEACE OF

MIND, OF HEART, WHERE HE STIRS

THE VISION AND RELATIONSHIPS

AND CAUSES ANGST AND ANXIETY IN

IN OUR RELATIONSHIPS AND IN OUR

OUR OWN LIFE. I DON’T KNOW

ABOUT Y’ALL, BUT I WANT TO LIVE

LIVE RIGHT SET UP SO I CAN HAVE

HAVE THAT FAVOR ALL OVER MY

LIFE. SO, IT OCCURS TO ME THAT

IN A GROUP DECIDE THERE ARE

VERY MANY OF US WHO HAVE FOUND

OURSELVES, WHETHER IN THE

PASTOR RIGHT NOW IN THE

PRESENT, AS YOU AND I ARE

SITTING IN THIS ROOM, YOU

RECOGNIZE THERE ARE TIMES THAT

WE ARE LIVING UPSIDE DOWN WHERE

WHERE WE KNOW GOOD AND WELL

THAT OUR ATTITUDES, OUR SPEECH

AND COMMUNICATION IN THE WAY

ARE REACTING TO OTHER PEOPLE,

WE KNOW IT IS OUT OF ALIGNMENT

WITH THE TRUTH OF GOD AND I

WANTED TO ENCOURAGE ANY OF YOU

WHO MIGHT BE RECOGNIZING

SOMETHING ABOUT YOURSELF RIGHT

NOW THAT YOU REALIZE IT’S

UPSIDE DOWN. THAT YOU KNOW THIS

THIS IS NOT WHAT GOD HAS CALLED

CALLED YOU TO. IT’S NOT HOW HE

CALLED YOU TO BEHAVE OR ACT OR

SPEAK OR RESPOND OR RELATE TO

OTHER PEOPLE. YOU JUST FEEL

LIKE MAYBE YOU ARE TOO FAR GONE

GONE TO COME BACK AND I JUST

WANTED TO REMIND YOU AND

ENCOURAGE YOU TODAY THAT GOD’S

GRACE IS SUFFICIENT FOR YOU.

THAT HE HIMSELF, BY HIS SPIRIT,

SPIRIT, WILL HELP YOU TURN THAT

THAT BOAT RIGHT SIDE UP SO THE

SUNLIGHT AND HIS FAVOR CAN BE

ALL OVER YOUR LIFE. HIS PATIENTS

HIS PATIENTS IS PERFECT FOR

YOU. HIS MERCY IS EXTRAVAGANT,

HIS LOVE IS NEVER ENDING AND HE

IS SLOW TO ANGER. IS ANYBODY

GLAD HE IS SLOW TO ANGER? AND

HE HAS GREAT IN LOVINGKINDNESS.

I WANT TO REMIND YOU FOR JUST

A FEW MINUTES THIS MORNING,

ABOUT THE PATIENCE OF GOD. HOW

PATIENT HE IS TOWARD YOU. THE

ENEMY WOULD WANT YOU TO THINK,

BECAUSE Y’ALL KNOW WE HAVE AN

ENEMY, RIGHT? HE WILL WANT YOU

TO THINK THAT GOD IS MAD AT

YOU. THAT THERE IS NO HOPE. ONE

GOD SPEAKS IT IS THE VOICE OF .

OF CONVICTION. WHEN THE ENEMY

SPEAKS WITH CONDEMNATION.

CONDEMNATION SAYS THAT NOT ONLY

ONLY WHAT YOU DID IS WRONG,

CONDEMNATION SAYS YOU ARE WRONG.

ARE WRONG. THAT THERE IS NO HOPE

NO HOPE FOR TURNING YOUR BOAT

RIGHT SIDE UP AND THERE IS NO

HOPE FOR GOD’S FAVOR AND GRACE

BEING ASKED. IS BY YOU. I WANT

TO REMIND YOU OF THE

EXTRAVAGANT GRACE AND LOVE OF

GOD TOWARD YOU THAT HIS

PATIENTS IS PERFECT. HIS PATIEN,

HIS PATIENTS, THE REASON WHY I

WANTED TO TALK ABOUT TODAY, IS,

IS, HONESTLY, IT’S ONE OF THE

MOST OVERLOOKED CHARACTERISTICS

CHARACTERISTICS OF OUR GOD.

THERE ARE SO MANY GREAT

CHARACTERISTICS OF GOD. HE’S

ONLY PRESENT AT HIS PATIENTS

SOMETIMES SNEAKS IN THERE AND

GETS OVERLOOKED BY SOME OF THE

BIGGER THEOLOGICAL PRINCIPLES

THAT WE CELEBRATE ABOUT GOD BUT

BUT I THINK IN ALL OF THE LINKS

LINKS OF THE CHAIN THAT MAKE UP

UP THE CHARACTER OF OUR GOD,

THE MOST ESSENTIAL AND

IMPORTANT ONE IS THIS ONE. HE

IS PATIENT AND MERCIFUL IN LONGG

IN LONG-SUFFERING TOWARDS US.

AND THE REASON I THINK IT IS ESL

IS ESSENTIAL IN THE MOST

IMPORTANT PART OF THE CHAIN IS

BECAUSE, HONESTLY, IF HE WASN’T

WASN’T PATIENT WITH US, WE

WOULDN’T EXIST LONG ENOUGH TO

EXPERIENCE THE OTHER PART OF

HIS CHARACTER. IT IS BECAUSE OFT

OF THAT AND BECAUSE HE

LONG-SUFFERING TOWARDS US,

HERE’S THE GREAT THING ABOUT

GOD. YOU AND I ARE NOT POWERFUL

POWERFUL ENOUGH TO WHERE GOD OU.

GOD OUT. GOD DOESN’T NEED A

GOOD NAP BEFORE HE CAN HANDLE

WHAT’S GOING ON IN YOUR PAST OR

IS CURRENTLY GOING ON IN YOUR

FUTURE. WE DON’T HAVE THE

CAPACITY TO WHERE GOD OUT. WE

ARE NOT THAT GREAT. SO, I WANT

YOU TO KNOW THERE IS NOTHING

DONE, NOTHING SAID, KNOW WHERE

YOU HAVE BEEN, THERE IS NOTHING

NOTHING OF EXPERIENCE, THERE’S

NOTHING THAT HAS BEEN DONE TO

YOU OR YOU DONE TO SOMEBODY

ELSE, THERE IS NO PATH YOU WALK

WALK ON, NOTE DITCH UW FOR

YOURSELF, THERE IS NO UPSIDE,

NO MATTER HOW LONG YOU HAVE

BEEN LIVING THAT WAY, TODAY IS

NOT ACTUALLY A GREAT DAY FREE

TO SAY, FATHER, HELP ME TURN

THIS BOAT RIGHT SIDE UP. THANK

YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE AND GRACE

GRACE TOWARDS ME.’S GRACE IS SU.

IS SUFFICIENT. HE’S GOT YOUR BA.

YOUR BACK. ONE OF THE CLEAREST

PLACES IN SCRIPTURE THAT SPEAKS

SPEAKS ABOUT THE PATIENCE OF

GOD IS IN FIRST TIMOTHY. IF YOU

YOU HAVE YOUR BIBLE AND WILL

USE AN OLD SCHOOL BIBLE LIKE I

DO WITH PAPER PAGES OR YOU HAVE

HAVE YOUR iPHONE OR iPAD, ANY

ONE WILL TAKE YOU TO FIRST

COMMITTEE 1. HE TALKS ABOUT HIS

HIS PATIENTS AND THE PATIENCE

OF GOD AND THE APOSTLE PAUL

WRITING TO TIMOTHY. IN FIRST TIY

FIRST TIMOTHY 1:16, HE SAYS,

AND YET FOR THIS REASON, THIS

IS THE APOSTLE PAUL TALKING,

YET FOR THIS REASON, I FOUND

MERCY IN ORDER THAT IN ME, AS

THE FOREMOST FOR THE CHIEF OF

ALL SINNERS, CHRIST MIGHT

DEMONSTRATE HIS PERFECT

PATIENTS. WHAT KIND OF PATIENTS

PATIENTS IS IT? HIS PERFECT PAT.

PERFECT PATIENTS. AS AN EXAMPLE

EXAMPLE FOR THOSE WHO WOULD

BELIEVE IN HIM TO ETERNAL LIFE.

LIFE. THE APOSTLE PAUL CALLS IT

IT PERFECT. WHICH MEANS EVEN ADD

EVEN ADDED FOR THIS EXTREME, EVN

EXTREME, EVEN IF THAT WAS

REPRESENTING THE MOST FAR CAPACY

FAR CAPACITY OF OUR GOD’S

PATIENCE, THERE’S NOTHING TO

MINISTER WEEK ABOUT OUR GOD

PATIENTS. IT CANNOT BE

DIMINISHED AND CANNOT RUN OUT.

IT IS PERFECT. AND JUST IN CASE,

IN CASE, IF YOU’RE WONDERING IF

IF YOU ARE THE EXCEPTION TO THE

THE RULE BECAUSE YOU KNOW

YOURSELF AND YOU LOOK IN THE

MIRROR, YOU KNOW WHAT YOU’VE

DONE AND WHAT YOUR HISTORY

ENTAILS, YOU KNOW, LIKE I KNOW,

KNOW, THE PATH YOU WALK DOWN,

THE RELATIONSHIPS YOU HAVE ALLO,

HAVE ALLOW, THE THINGS THAT GOT

GOT YOU HUNG UP SOMETIME, YOU

KNOW YOU. SO, SOMETIMES WHEN WE

WE KNOW OURSELVES LIKE THIS, WE

WE THINK WE ARE THE EXCEPTION

TO THE RULE AND GOD’S GRACE

MIGHT BE GOOD FOR THAT PERSON

ON THIS SIDE OF ME ARE THAT

SIDE OF ME ARE THE ONE WHO IS

SITTING BEHIND ME, BUT NOT ME

BECAUSE YOU DON’T KNOW MY

STORY. YOU DON’T KNOW MY TESTIM.

MY TESTIMONY. POSSIBLY, THERE

ARE A FEW OF YOU HERE TODAY

THAT THINK YOU MIGHT BE AN

EXCEPTION TO THE RULE AND I

THINK THE APOSTLE PAUL KNEW

THAT WHICH IS WHY HE SAID, LET

ME BE A DEMONSTRATION FOR YOU.

AND HE CALLS HIMSELF THE

FOREMOST. THE CHIEF OF ALL

SINNERS. THIS IS THE APOSTLE

PAUL BASICALLY SAYING YOU THINK

THINK THAT NOTHING I AIN’T

ALREADY DONE. YOU HAVEN’T BEEN

ANYWHERE I HAVEN’T ALREADY

BEEN. YOU HAVEN’T SAID WHAT

I’VE ALREADY SAID OR THOUGHT ANG

THOUGHT ANYTHING THAT I HAVEN’T

HAVEN’T ALREADY THOUGHT. HE’S

LIKE IF YOU THINK THE ONE OF

THE ROLES HE WANTS YOU TO KNOW

THE ARMOR OF GOD IS NOT SO LONG

LONG THAT HE CANNOT REACH IN

THE AND PULL YOU OUT OF IT. HE

WANTED TO KNOW HIS PATIENTS IS

PERFECT TOWARDS ME AS THE CHIEF

CHIEF OF ALL SINNERS WHICH

MEANS HIS PATIENTS IS ALSO

PERFECT TOWARDS YOU. SO HE

SAID, LISTEN, THE PATIENCE OF

GOD IS GREAT AND HE STARTS THATE

THAT VERSE WITH THIS LITTLE PHR.

LITTLE PHRASE. FOR THIS REASON.

REASON. IT’S KIND OF LIKE THE

WORD THEREFORE. ANY TIME EVER

STARTS WITH FOR THIS REASON ARE

ARE STARTS WITH THE WORD

THEREFORE, YOU NEED TO GO SEE

WHAT IT IS THEREFORE BECAUSE IT

IT IS THERE FOR A REASON. IS

TRYING TO CONNECT DOTS WITH

WHAT HAS ALREADY BEEN WRITTEN.

BEFORE THAT PARTICULAR VERSE.

PAUL IS TRYING TO CONNECT THE

DOTS FOR US BETWEEN WHAT HE HAS

HAS ALREADY SAID IN WHAT HE IS G

IS DESCRIBING IS THE PERFECT

PATIENCE OF GOD. HE SAYING,

GOD’S PATIENCE IS PERFECT AND I

I HAVE REASONS I’VE ALREADY

TOLD YOU. FOR A FEW MINUTES,

YOU AND I COULD JUST GIVE UP A

FEW VERSES AND FIND OUT WHAT

THE REASONS WERE THAT HE

DESCRIBES AS TO WHY WE CAN BE CT

BE CONFIDENT THAT THERE IS

ALWAYS HOPE FOR US, ALWAYS

MERCY TOWARDS US, THAT THE BOAT

BOAT THAT MIGHT BE UPSIDE DOWN

RIGHT NOW DOESN’T HAVE TO STAY

THAT WAY. THAT THERE’S ALWAYS

AN OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE OUR GOD

IS SO MERCIFUL TO GET THAT

THING RIGHT SIDE UP SO WE CAN

HAVE GOD’S GRACE POURED OUT ON

OUR LIFE. I WILL SHOW YOU AND I

I WILL LOOK WITH YOU AND WHAT

THESE REASONS ARE. THE FIRST

REASON IS IN VERSE 15. WE ARE

JUST BACKING UP A LITTLE BIT.

HE SAYS, IT’S A TRUSTWORTHY

STATEMENT DESERVING FULL ACCEPTE

FULL ACCEPTANCE AND HERE’S THE

REASON. THAT CHRIST JESUS CAME

INTO THE WORLD TO SAVE SINNERS.

THERE IT IS RIGHT THERE. HE

SAYS HERE IS THE FIRST REASON

WHY YOU CAN KNOW FOR SURE THAT

YOU CANNOT OUTPACE OR OUTRUN

THE GRACE AND THE PERFECT

PATIENCE OF GOD. HERE’S HOW YOU

YOU CAN ALWAYS NOTE THAT THERE

IS ALWAYS HOPE FOR YOU AND ME

THAT WE ARE NEVER TOO FAR GONE

TO EXPERIENCE SOME MERCY AND

GOODNESS AND GRACE OF GOD. HE

SAYS HERE’S THE REASON. HE SAID

SAID YOU, DIDN’T HE? ALL RIGHT.

I CAN TELL THAT YOU ARE NOT EXD

NOT EXCITED ENOUGH ABOUT THAT

LITTLE REASON RIGHT THERE.

HERE’S THE THING. SOMETIMES,

MAYBE IF YOU GREW UP IN CHURCH

AROUND CHURCH CULTURE ALL YOUR

LIFE FOR HERE YOU ARE NOW AT

THIS INCREDIBLE PLACE WHERE YOU

YOU GET TO BOLDLY UNASHAMEDLY

EXPLAIN THE NAME OF JESUS

CHRIST AND HEAR ABOUT THESE

NUANCES OF SALVATION. AND

VICTORIOUS LIVING ON A REGULAR

BASIS AND REGULAR EVERYDAY LIFE.

EVERYDAY LIFE. SOMETIMES FOR

FOLKS LIKE US WHO ARE SO

LESSONED TO HEAR THIS SORT OF

THING REGULARLY, EVERY NOW AND

THEN WE CAN BEGIN TO HEAR IT

AND IT ROLLS OFF OUR SHOULDERS

CASUALLY AS IF IT IS NO BIG DEA.

SO, LET’S TALK FOR JUST A

SECOND. THE FACT THAT YOU ARE S.

ARE SAVED. OKAY. IT’S KIND OF A

A BIG DEAL. DO YOU KNOW THAT IT

IT IS A MIRACLE THAT YOU WERE B.

WERE BORN. PHYSICALLY BORN.

IT’S A MIRACLE THAT YOU WERE

BORN. THERE IS NOTHING CHANCE

OR HAPPENSTANCE AND IS NOT

LUCKY STARS THAT YOU WERE BORN

IN THIS DAY AND AGE IN THIS GENN

THIS GENERATION, THAT YOUR LIFE

LIFE WAS ASSIGNED TO THIS POINT

POINT IN HISTORY. THAT YOU ARE

IN THE SKIN COLOR YOU ARE IN

WITH THE HERETICS YOU GOT ON

YOUR HEAD. THAT YOU HAPPEN TO

BE WITH THAT PERSONALITY, THOSE

THOSE RANKS IN THOSE WEAKNESSES,

THOSE WEAKNESSES, THAT NUANCE

OF THE WAY YOU OPERATE AND

RELATE TO OTHER PEOPLE, THE

UNIQUENESS OF WHO YOU ARE,

THERE AIN’T NOTHING CHANCE

ABOUT THAT. IT’S A MIRACLE THAT

THAT YOU WERE BORN THAT WAY. I

AM SAYING, Y’ALL, IT WAS DIVINE

DIVINE STRATEGY THAT SET YOU UP.

YOU UP. THAT EVEN IF YOUR

PARENTS WERE SURPRISED THAT YOU

YOU SHOWED UP, GOD WAS NOT.

OKAY? HE HAD YOU PLANNED. THINK

THINK ABOUT THIS. THERE ARE 7

BILLION, POLITICALLY CLOSER TO

A BILLION, PLUS PEOPLE ON THE

PLANET. YOUR GREAT, GREAT,

GREAT GRANDFATHER WITH 1

BILLION PEOPLE ON THE PLANET,

HE JUST HAPPENED TO CROSS PATHS

PATHS WITH THE WOMAN THAT WOULD

WOULD BE YOUR GREAT GREAT

GRANDMOTHER, AND THE TWO CAME

TOGETHER AND CREATED YOUR GREAT

GREAT GRANDFATHER. THEN YOUR

GREAT FATHER WITH A BILLION

PLUS PEOPLE ON THE PLANET

HAPPEN TO FIND A WOMAN THAT WAS

WAS YOUR MOTHER. THEY CAME TO

HEATHER AND CREATED YOUR AND

FATHER. YOUR GRANDMA FATHER

WITH 1 BILLION PLUS PEOPLE ON

THE PLANET FOUND THE WOMAN THAT

THAT WOULD BE YOUR GRANDMOTHER

AND THEY CREATED YOUR FATHER

AND THEN YOUR FATHER WITH THE A

A BILLION PLUS PEOPLE ON THE

PLANET FOUND THE WOMAN WHO

WOULD BE YOUR MOTHER AND I CAME

CAME TO HEATHER AND CREATED YOU.

CREATED YOU. THERE IS NOTHING

CHANCE ABOUT THAT. THAT IS GOD

ORCHESTRATING, MANEUVERING,

ALIGNING, PUTTING THE RIGHT PEOE

RIGHT PEOPLE IN THE RIGHT PLACE

PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME TO MAKE

MAKE SURE YOU AND I SHOWED UP

IN THIS POINT IN HISTORY. IT’S

A MIRACLE. IT’S A MIRACLE THAT

YOU WERE BORN. AND IF IT IS A

MIRACLE THAT YOU ARE BORN, HOW

MUCH MORE OF A MIRACLE IS IT

THAT YOU WERE BORN AGAIN. OKAY?

MY FATHER HAD DESCRIBED THIS

LIKE A DIVINE CHESSBOARD. SINCE

SINCE THE BEGINNING OF TIME

YOUR GOD HAS BEEN STRATEGICALLYG

STRATEGICALLY ORGANIZING FOR

YOUR SALVATION IN MIND AND

VYING FOR YOUR ALLEGIANCE. IT’S

IT’S LIKE A COSMIC CHESSBOARD.

THE ENEMY HAD BEEN ON ONE SIDE,

SIDE, AND GOD HAS BEEN ON THE

OTHER SINCE THE BEGINNING OF TIE

OF TIME VYING FOR OUR

ALLEGIANCE AND MAKING WAY FOR

REDEMPTION. GOD MADE THE FIRST

MOVE. HE PUT ADAM AND EVE,

PERFECT INDIVIDUALS, IN A

PERFECT ENVIRONMENT, OR

PERCOLATION SHIP TO HIMSELF BUT

BUT THE ENEMY MADE A MOVE. HE

SLITHERED INTO THEIR PERFECT

EXPERIENCE AND INTRODUCE SIN

AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, SIN ENTERS

ENTERS THE HEART OF MAN AND

INTO THE EXPERIENCE IN SEPARATE

THE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE ONE

TRUE AND LIVING GOD AND ALL OF

A SUDDEN, KANE KILLED ABEL AND

NOT MURDER ENTERS THE SCENE AND

AND IT LOOKS LIKE ALL HOPE IS

LOST, BUT OUR GOD, NEVER TO BE

OUTDONE, MAKES ANOTHER MOVE ON

THE COSMIC CHESSBOARD AND CAUSES

AND CAUSES ADAM AND EVE TO COME

COME BACK TOGETHER AND THEY

HAVE A BABY SAT IN SETH GIVES

BIRTH AND I DON’T KNOW WHAT IT

WAS ABOUT THAT BABY BUT IN GENES

IN GENESIS 4, EVERYBODY STARTED

STARTED WORSHIPING GOD AGAIN

BUT THEN THE ENEMY MADE ANOTHER.

ANOTHER MOVE. HE INTRODUCED REBN

INTRODUCED REBELLION AND IT

PROLIFERATED SO FAR AND SO WIDE

WIDE THAT THE ENTIRE EARTH

NEEDED TO BE DESTROYED BY A FLO.

A FLOOD. IT LOOKED LIKE THE

ENEMY HAD WON, BUT OUR GOD,

NEVER TO BE OUTDONE, HAD

ANOTHER MOVE UP ASLEEP IN HIS

NAME WAS NOAH. HE SAID NOAH,

I’M GOING TO NEED YOU TO BUILD

ME AN ARC SO HUMANKIND, I AM

NOT DUMB WITH THEM. IN THROUGH

ONE MAN’S OBEDIENCE, HUMANKIND

WAS PRESERVED. THEN THE ENEMY

INTRODUCE SIN AND REBELLION

AGAIN AND IT PROLIFERATED SO

MUCH THAT IT SEEMED LIKE ALL

HOPE WAS LOST BUT OUR GOD NEVER

NEVER TO BE OUTDONE MADE

ANOTHER MOVE I WENT TO THIS

LITTLE TOWN CALLED — AND

PLUCKED OUT OF IT A MAN NAMED

ABRAM AND SAID, GO WITH ME. I’M

I’M GOING TO CHANGE NOT ONLY

YOUR NAME BUT ALSO THE GPS

COORDINATES ON YOUR DESTINY.

I’M GOING TO CREATE A BRAND-NEW

BRAND-NEW PEOPLE OUT OF YOU AND

AND THEY WILL BE MY AND I WILL

BE THEIRS. THE ENEMY MADE

ANOTHER MOVE. NOW HE TAKES

GOD’S PEOPLE, THIS BRAND-NEW

GROUP OF PEOPLE, AND THEY GO

INTO EGYPT AND ARE ENSLAVED FOR

FOR 400 YEARS. IT SEEMS LIKE

ALL HOPE IS LOST BUT THEN GOD

MAKES ANOTHER MOVE AND HIS NAME

NAME IS MOSES. AT THE RIGHT

TIME, HE SAYS TO MOSES,,,

MOSES. IT’S TIME TO GO TELL

PHARAOH, LET MY PEOPLE GO. AND

AFTER 40 YEARS WANDERING IN THE

THE WINDOWLESS, THE PEOPLE OF

GOD FINALLY COME INTO THE PLACE

PLACE OF GOD, A LAND FLOWING

WITH MILK AND HONEY, BUT, YELL,

THE ENTIRE BOOK OF JUDGES IS

ABOUT GOD IN THE ENEMY INTRODUCS

ENEMY INTRODUCES IDOLATRY TO

THE PEOPLE OF GOD. THEY ARE

STILL WORSHIPING GOD BUT ALSO

WORSHIPING THE IDOLS OF THE

LAND AND WHEN GOD’S PEOPLE LIVE

LIVE A DUPLICITOUS LIFE AND

WHERE THEY ARE WORSHIPING GOD

ON ONE SIDE THAT GOT IDOLS ON

THE OTHER SIDE, IT CREATES

HAVOC THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE CUL.

ENTIRE CULTURE. BY THE TIME YOU

YOU GET TO THE LAST LINE OF THE

THE BOOK OF JUDGES, THE LAST

LINE SAYS, EVERYBODY WAS DOING

WHAT WAS RIGHT IN THEIR OWN EYE.

OWN EYES. YELL, IF THAT DOESN’T

DOESN’T SOUND LIKE THIS COUNTRY

COUNTRY IN THE YEAR 2022, I

DON’T KNOW WHAT DOES. IT SEEMS

LIKE ALL HOPE WAS LOST, BUT OF

COURSE, OUR GOD, NEVER TO BE

OUT DONE, HE MAKES ANOTHER MOVE

AND HER NAME IS RUTH. THEN,

RUTH HAD A ROUGH START. I PRETTY

I PRETTY BEGINNING BUT AT THE

RIGHT TIME SHE MET THIS GUY

NAMED MOAB AND THE TWO OF THEM

COME TOGETHER IN THEIR LIVES

INTERSECT AND THEY GIVE BIRTH

TO A BABY BOY AND HE GIVES

BIRTH TO JESSE AND JESSE GIVES

BIRTH TO A GUY NAMED DAVID. AND

AND WITH THAT, WITH THAT ONE MO,

ONE MOVE, THE ENEMY DIDN’T EVEN

EVEN KNOW IT BUT THE CHECKMATE

WAS ALREADY ON THE WAY. THEN

THE OLD TESTAMENT CLOSES WITH

400 YEARS OF SILENCE. GOD IS ON

ON ONE SIDE OF THE COSMIC

CHESSBOARD AND THE ENEMY IS ON

THE OTHER SIDE AND THEY ARE

SILENCE FOR 400 YEARS IN ALL OF

OF HISTORY, ALL OF HUMANITY, IS

IS WAITING IN THE BALANCE

TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHO WILL

MAKE THE NEXT MOVE. IN THE NEW

TESTAMENT OPENS. AND GOD MAKES

A MOVE THE LIKES OF WHICH THE

ENEMY STILL TO THIS DAY HAS

NEVER HAD OR SAW. JESUS CHRIST S

CHRIST ENTERS THE SCENE. Y’ALL,

THIS IS GOD BASICALLY PUTTING

ON FLESH AND SAYING, YOU KNOW

WHAT. LET ME TAKE CARE OF THIS .

THIS MYSELF. AND HE LIVED A

PERFECT LIFE AND DIES THE

SUBSTITUTIONARY DEATH IN THREE

DAYS LATER HE GETS UP OUT OF

THE GREAT AND GIVES US THE

RECEIPT OF THE RESURRECTION FOR

FOR OUR REDEMPTION AND WITH

THAT ONE MOVE, OUR SALVATION IS.

IS SECURED. OKAY? WHY? WHY

WOULD PAUL BRING UP SALVATION

IN THIS PASSAGE ABOUT THE

PERFECT PATIENCE OF GOD?

BECAUSE HE WANTED TO KNOW IF I

WAS PATIENCE ENOUGH TO

ORCHESTRATE THE DETAILS OF THE

PAST FEW MILLENNIA TO TAKE CARE

CARE OF YOUR SALVATION, IF HE

WAS PATIENCE ENOUGH FOR THAT,

HE IS ALSO PATIENCE ENOUGH TO

TAKE CARE OF YOU. EVERY SINGLE .

SINGLE DAY. EVERY SINGLE WEEK.

EVERY SINGLE TIME OF YOUR LIFE.

LIFE. IF HE WAS PATIENCE ENOUGH

ENOUGH TO SET YOU, HE IS

PATIENCE ENOUGH TO SUSTAIN YOU.

OKAY. BUT HE SAYS, THAT’S NOT

THE ONLY REASON. HE SAYS

THERE’S ANOTHER REASON IN VERSE6

VERSE 16, VERSE 14, RATHER,

ACTUALLY, 13. HE SAYS EVEN

THOUGH I WAS FORMERLY A

BLASPHEMER, A PERSECUTOR, AND

ABOUT AN AGGRESSOR, FORMALLY.

SOMEBODY SAY FORMALLY. IT’S

YOUR TESTIMONY. SAY FORMALLY.

OKAY. THE APOSTLE PAUL, THIS IS

IS SO GOOD. THE APOSTLE PAUL

GIVES US THREE THINGS ON HIS

THIN RESUME. HE DIDN’T TELL US

ANY DETAILS BEFORE JUST SAYS

I’M THE CHIEF OF ALL SINNERS IN

IN THE WORST YOU’VE EVER SEEN.

NOW HE GIVES US THREE DETAILS.

HE GIVES US THE — BUT HE SAYS

SAYS BEFORE YOU READ MY RESUME,

RESUME, MAKE SURE YOU SEE THE

BOLD FONT UNDERLINED SUBTITLE

THAT IS AT THE TOP OF MY RESUME.

MY RESUME. FORMERLY. THIS IS

WHO I WAS. BUT THIS IS NOT WHO

I AM NOW. BECAUSE THE PATIENCE

OF GOD IS SO GREAT THAT NOT

ONLY DOES HE SAVE YOU, BUT HE

STICKS AROUND LONG ENOUGH TO

CHANGE YOU. HE HELPS YOU WALK DT

WALK DIFFERENT AND TALK

DIFFERENT AND MANEUVER

DIFFERENT AND RELATE DIFFERENT

AND HAVE DIFFERENT AMBITIONS AND

AMBITIONS AND DIFFERENT

PERSPECTIVES IN A DIFFERENT

MIND-SET, HE CHANGES YOU FROM

THE INSIDE OUT. THIS IS NOT THE

THE BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION, Y’AL.

MODIFICATION, Y’ALL. THAT’S

JUST TEMPORARY. IT’S ALSO

EXHAUSTING WHEN YOU’RE TRYING

TO DO IT FOR YOURSELF, BUT WHEN

WHEN GOD HIMSELF SAYS NO, I’M

GOING TO SANCTIFY YOU AND

CHANGE YOU FROM THE INSIDE OUT,

OUT, SO YOU CAN START TO THINK

LIKE JESUS AND TALK TO JESUS

AND WALK LIKE JESUS AND THINK

LIKE JESUS, HE SAID I’M GOING

TO MAKE IT MY BUSINESS NOT TO

JUST SAVE YOU AND LEAVE YOU ON

YOUR OWN. NO, I’M ALSO GOING TO

TO MAKE SURE I CHANGE YOU. SO,

ONE DAY YOU WILL LOOK BACK ON

LAST YEAR, TWO YEARS AGO, TODAY,

AGO, TODAY, YOU LOOK BACK AND

GO, OH, THAT’S WHO I WAS. BUT

THAT IS NOT WHO I AM ANYMORE. I

I HAVE BEEN CHANGED BY THE

GRACE AND GOODNESS OF GOD. THIS

THIS IS ONE OF MY SONS FAVORITE

FAVORITE ILLUSTRATIONS. HAVE

YOU WONDERED HOW POPCORN POPS?

SOMEBODY SAY YES? HERE’S THE

DEAL. INSIDE EVERY KERNEL OF CON

OF CORN THERE IS A LITTLE DROP

OF WATER. WHEN YOU PUT THE BAG

OF POPCORN IN THE MICROWAVE,

THE HEAT FROM THE MICROWAVE IS

NOT HEATING UP THE SHELL. IT IS

IS CONCENTRATING ON THE WATER

THAT IS THE MICROSCOPIC POT OF

WATER INSIDE OF EVERY KERNEL

AND AS IT BEGINS TO HEAT UP, IT

IT CREATES STEAM IN THE SCENE

CREATES PRESSURE AND IT GETS SO

SO INTENSE INSIDE OF THAT SHELL

SHELL THAT EVENTUALLY THE SHELL.

SHELL POPS. ALL OF A SUDDEN,

WHAT LOOKED HARD AND LIKE IT

COULD NOT BE TRANSFORMED AT THEG

THE BEGINNING BECOMES

COMPLETELY DIFFERENT,

COMPLETELY NEW, STUFF THAT WAS

IN THERE THAT YOU NEVER THOUGHT

THOUGHT TO BE IN CASE SOMETHING

SOMETHING THAT SMALL AND

INSIGNIFICANT, COMPLETELY

TRANSFORM NOT BECAUSE YOU ARE

CONCENTRATING ON THE OUTSIDE,

BUT BECAUSE YOU ARE HEATING UP

WHAT IS ON THE INSIDE. THE

PATIENCE OF GOD IS SO GREAT

TOWARDS YOU THAT HE BEGINS TO

HEAT UP WHAT IS ON THE INSIDE

WHEN YOU CONCENTRATE ON

DEVELOPING YOUR RELATIONSHIP

WITH THE LORD. HE SAYS, DON’T

WORRY ABOUT THE CHANGING. I

WILL CHANGE YOU. I WILL

TRANSFORM YOU. I WILL CHANGE

HER DESIRE SO THAT THINGS YOU

WANT NOW, YOUR APPETITE WILL BE

BE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT LATER.

I CAN MAKE A FORMERLY BE AT THE

THE TOP OF YOUR RESUME, TOO.

BUT HE SAYS THERE’S ONE FINAL RN

FINAL REASON WHY HE WANTS YOU

TO KNOW THE PATIENCE OF GOD IS

GREAT. HE SAYS IN VERSE 12, I

THANKED CHRIST JESUS MY LORD

WHO HAS STRENGTHENED ME. HE

SAVED ME. HE CHANGED ME. BUT HEO

HE ALSO GIVES ME STRENGTH.

THERE IS JUSTIFICATION,

SANCTIFICATION, AND THERE IS FO.

IS FORTIFICATION. HE IS GOING

TO GIVE YOU SPIRITUAL MUSCLE.

SO THAT YOU CAN BE WHO HE HAS

CALLED YOU TO BE. BECAUSE IT IS

IS NOT BY STRENGTH, NOT BY

POWER, IT IS BY THE SPIRIT OF

GOD AND SOME TRUST IN HORSES

AND OTHER FOLKS TRUST IN

CHARIOTS, BUT NOT US. WE

CHECKED IN THE NAME OF THE LORD

LORD OUR GOD. IF YOU DON’T FEELE

FEEL LIKE — IF YOU DON’T FEEL

LIKE YOU CAN HANG IN THERE

WITH THE STUFF GOING ON IN YOUR

YOUR LIFE LIKE THIS LET AKIN HO,

AKIN HOME, YOUR FRIENDS, YOUR

ROOMMATE, THEY DON’T KNOW ABOUT

ABOUT THE STUFF GOING ON WITH

YOUR MAMA AND THEM AND THE

RELATIONSHIPS YOU’VE GOT GOING

ON, AND THE STUFF YOU’RE

STRUGGLING WITH. YOU DON’T FEEL

FEEL STRONG ENOUGH FOR YOU AND

YOU DON’T KNOW IF YOU WILL HAVE

HAVE ENOUGH RESULT OF

NOTIFICATION TO KEEP GOING

THERE OUT THE REST OF THE

SEMESTER AND THE REST OF THE

SCHOOL YEAR, PLEASE HEAR THE

HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD. IF I HAD A

PATIENCE TO SAVE YOU AND I HAVE

HAVE ENOUGH GRACE TO SUSTAIN

YOU, AND SANCTIFY YOU, PLEASE KW

PLEASE KNOW I AM GOING TO GIVE

YOU THE STRENGTH AND THE

FORTIFICATION TO HONOR ME WITH

YOUR LIFE. AND TO BE SUSTAINED.

THE GOOD WORK THAT I HAVE

STARTED IN YOU, YOU BETTER

BELIEVE I’M GOING TO BRING IT

TO COMPLETION. OKAY. I’M GOING

TO CLOSE WITH THIS. ONE

CHRISTMAS MORNING OUR LITTLE DUE

LITTLE DUDE WAS NOT REALLY

LITTLE, HE WAS 14 ON SUNDAY AND

AND IS A GIANT. ALL THE BOYS

ARE GIANTS. SOMEBODY COME HELP

ME FEED THESE PEOPLE. SO, JUDE

WASN’T HERE YET. IT WAS A OLDER.

OLDER TWO. EARLY MORNING AND I

THINK THEY WERE LIKE 3 AND 4

YEARS OLD AND YOU KNOW HOW IT

IS WHEN WE ALL WERE LITTLE LIKE

LIKE THAT. YOU GET UP ON

CHRISTMAS MORNING AND YOU

IMMEDIATELY WANT TO WAKE UP AND

AND OPEN GIFTS AND GET INTO THE

THE DAY. IT’S LIKE 5:00 A.M. IN

IN YOUR PARENTS ALIKE, ARE YOU

KIDDING ME? SO, WE GOT UP AND I

I AM THE KIND OF MOM THAT

MOSTLY WHENEVER LITTLE BOUGHT

THEM GIFTS FROM THE DOLLAR

STORE BECAUSE THEY WERE TOO

LITTLE TO KNOW THAT IT WASN’T

WORTH NOTHING. SO I’M THAT AS

LONG AS I COULD. I’M ALSO THE

KIND OF MOM THAT IF I BOUGHT

THEM I GET THAT HAD PARTS TO

IT, WHEN I OPEN THAT UP AND

TAKE THE PARTS OUT AND RENT

THEM SEPARATELY, LIKE IF IT WAS

WAS A BOW AND ARROW, THEY GOT A

A BOW,, AND ARROW, AND THEY

WOULD THINK THEY HAD LOTS OF

STUFF. IT WAS LIKE ONE THING

FROM THE DOLLAR STORE TAKEN

APART AND DISMANTLED, BUT ON

THIS DAY, THIS IS THE FIRST

CHRISTMAS WE GOT THEM A REAL

GIFT. WE WENT TO TOYS “R” US

WHICH EXISTED AT THE TIME AND

WE BOUGHT THEM THIS BASEBALL

MACHINE. IT WAS A BASEBALL

MACHINE THAT CATAPULTED

BASEBALL OUT AT A CERTAIN

FREQUENCY AND VELOCITY AND THE

KIDS STAND THERE WITH THE

HELMET IN A PLASTIC MALLET,

PLASTIC BAG, AND GETS READY FOR

FOR THE BALL TO COME OUT SO

THEY CAN HIT IT. THEY WERE SO

READY TO GO OUTSIDE. IT WAS

COLD, IT WAS 6:00 A.M. WE HAVE

THE THING TOGETHER AND WE ARE

SHIVERING AND SHAKING WAITING

FOR THIS LITTLE BALL TO COME

OUT OF THIS MACHINE AND TRYING

TO BE EXCITED BECAUSE IT IS

CHRISTMAS MORNING, AND MY

SECOND SON IS ALL GREGARIOUS

AND READY FOR THE CHALLENGE.

HE’S GOT A BAT IN HIS HAND AND

WAITING FOR IT. IS WAITING FOR

THE BALL. EVEN 10 AND HE IS

SWINGING AT EVERYTHING. MY

OLDEST SON IS CAUTIOUS AND

CALCULATING. HE IS ANALYTICAL

AND TRYING TO FIGURE THIS THING.

THING OUT. HE’S WATCHING THE

BALL, AND THE MORE HE SEES IT

THE MORE YOU LIKE, NO. AND I

SAID, BUDDY, YOU CAN DO IT. AND

AND HE SAID NO. AND I SAID, YOU

YOU CAN DO IT. HE SAYS I CAN’T

DO IT. HEAT — YOU’RE GOING TO

TO DO BECAUSE I AM STANDING OUT

OUT HERE AND IT IS SIX A.M. AND

AND IT’S COLD. WHEN IT IS HIS

TERM HE STEPS UP TO THE PLATE

AND IS NERVOUS BECAUSE HE’S

WAITING FOR THE BALL AND I’M

WATCHING MY BOY AND I SAID, I

WISH I COULD GET HIS MIND TO

UNDERSTAND SOMETHING THAT I

KNEW. HERE’S WHAT I KNEW. HIS

FATHER HAD ALREADY GONE BEHIND

TO THE BACK OF THE MACHINE

WHERE THERE WAS A GEAR THAT YOU

YOU CAN OPEN UP THAT REVEALED

YEARS AND YOU CAN ADJUST THE

FREQUENCY AND VELOCITY TO MATCH

MATCH WHAT THE PERSON STANDING

AT THE PLATE. THE REASON WHY MY

MY BOY HAD NO REASON TO BE

AFRAID WAS BECAUSE HE HAD A

DADDY WHO LOVED HIM. WHO HAD

ALREADY SET HIM UP TO WIN. THE N

THE REASON YOU DON’T NEED TO BE

BE AFRAID NO MATTER HOW

INTIMIDATING THE CIRCUMSTANCES

OF YOUR LIFE CURRENTLY LOOK, NO

NO MATTER HOW THE UPSIDE DOWN

THE BOAT SEEMS TO BE RIGHT NOW,

NOW, THE REASON WHY YOU DON’T

KNOW TO BE AFRAID AND CAN STEP

UP TO THE PLATE AND BE WHO GOD

HAS CALLED YOU TO BE IN THIS

GENERATION, LITTLE BROTHER,

LITTLE SISTER, THE REASON WHY

YOU CAN’T IS BECAUSE YOU HAVE A

A DADDY WHO LOVES YOU. HE’S

ALREADY GONE BEHIND THE SCENE

AND SET YOU UP TO WIN. LORD, I

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PERFECT

PATIENCE. I THANK YOU THAT YOU E

YOU GRACE IS SUFFICIENT IN YOUR

YOUR MERCY IS EXTRAVAGANT AND I

I THANK YOU THAT TODAY IS A

BRAND-NEW DAY, THE FIRST DAY OF

OF THE REST OF OUR LIVES.

CHANGE AS, TRANSFORMERS, AND

THE NAME OF JESUS I PRAY. AMEN.

AMEN I THINK THAT’S A PRETTY

GOOD COMBO, WHAT DO YOU THINK?

A COUPLE QUICK THINGS BEFORE WE.

WE GO. DON’T FORGET WE GOT THE

TRAILER OUT FRONT. GO PICK UP

SUPPLIES AND BRING THAT BACK. I

I WANT TO PUT THAT QR CODE BACK

BACK ON THE SCREEN BUT BEFORE

YOU GO, DR. PREVO ASKED ME TO

SAY ONE THING TO ALL OF OUR

STUDENTS FROM ALASKA. WHERE ARE

ARE OUR ALASKA STUDENTS? WE

DON’T HAVE THAT MANY BUT STILL

IF YOU ARE FROM ALASKA, DR.

PREVO SAID VERY CLEARLY, DO

NOT REGISTER TO VOTE HERE IN

VIRGINIA. YOU NEED TO VOTE

ABSENTEE AT HOME AND SAID

SOMETHING ABOUT A PERMANENT

FUND AND SAID DON’T BE STUPID.

THAT IS FOR OUR ALASKA

STUDENTS. GOD BLESS YOU. HAVE A

A GREAT DAY. SHOW UP FOR THE GRN

THE GREEN GAME TOMORROW. IT’LL

BE A GREAT DAY.